The invention relates to coated prostheses, such as those for bone, made of any of a variety of materials. The coating of interest enhances adhesion of materials to the prosthesis, including biocompatible and biological molecules, such as cartilage. Any of the known prosthetic devices can be modified to carry the biological adhesive of interest, which adhesive can be used to attach compounds or structures thereto and to serve as a medium for interaction with a biological surface, a cell, tissue and the like.
The adhesive of interest is a monofunctional, bifunctional or polyfunctional biologically compatible polymer that adsorbs, absorbs, adheres, attaches, binds and the like to a surface of a prosthesis or other implantable device or structure. The polymer can be made from biological polymers or polymers that are biocompatible.
The invention also relates to prostheses coated with a hydrogel that is bonded to the surface of the prostheses.